After a disappointing freshman outing on the Xbox 360, EA Sports sends another NBA Live title to this console feeling unfinished, sloppy, and lacking in focus. This isn't simply another edition of NBA Live; it's a butchered game of basketball. Basic fundamentals of basketball game design are completely absent, and the only decent addition is one that should have been standard in the 2006 edition.

Everything NBA Live 07 does right, it does off the court. Integration with ESPN has been taken to unparalleled levels. If signed into Xbox Live, the user will immediately hear the latest update from ESPN Radio once into the menu system. Other shows from their on-air radio programming are available at the user's request. Text based articles can be pulled up instantly, and full streaming video of the days hottest stories load when selected.

Actual menus take the same concept from last year. You're still able to run and shoot with the cover athlete (Tracy McGrady graces the box art) while waiting for the loading to complete. This has been updated to become relevant to the menu option being selected. Choosing All-Star Weekend causes the mechanical practice court to open up to a vibrant, celebratory backdrop.

Sadly, that's the final positive you'll hear about NBA Live 07. There are few adjectives to describe the abysmal gameplay, completely destroying progress made over the last five years. Everything about EA Sport's famed basketball effort has been crushed.

Immediately apparent is the stilted animation. Jump shots seem as if they're missing frames, leading to a feeling of not being in full control. Running with a speed boost causes players to duck into an unnatural position from the waist. Routines for Superstar moves, including various dekes, shots and player specific passes are frustrating due to their abnormal speed. They're performed with the left bumper and analog stick, making it difficult to pull off the proper maneuver.

Nagging gameplay quirks are everywhere. For a second year in a row, the camera system is inexcusable. The default view is not only impossible to use to judge depth (you'll find a lot of shots end up hitting underneath the backboard), it's called broadcast. Never, anywhere in the world, has a NBA game been shown on television using this behind-the-backboard disaster for the full 48-minutes. Worse yet, it's the default for the title's laggy, inconsistent online play.